President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. said that his administration will work hard to improve the country's public transportation system to resolve issues that can slow down national development.
*President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. (RTVM screenshot)*

Marcos said this during the ceremonial signing of a loan agreement for the Davao Public Transport Modernization Project (DPTMP) in Davao City on July 1. In his speech, the President expressed confidence that the government's vision of a seamless, efficient, accessible, and highly-connected transportation system will be within reach as long as Filipinos are guided by the core of the whole-of-nation and whole-of-society approach. "I assure my fellow Filipinos that your government is working hard to improve the country's transportation systems, operations, and management for the benefit of present and future generations," he said. "We need to work together to pursue the much-needed modernization of our transport system in vital parts of the country, whether through better roads, highways, and even railways," he added. According to the Chief Executive, an efficient transportation system will not only be good for the economy but, ultimately, for the health and general well-being of the public. The DPTMP aims to support the expanding economic activities of Davao City. Marcos said it was a large leap toward realizing the government's goal of modernizing the country's public transportation system. "Evidently, increased commercial activities necessarily bring more people, which means more vehicles on the streets, busier roads, and hence, heavier traffic," he said. "Modernizing public transportation will address this inconvenience while contributing immensely to the economic progress of the region," he added. The DPTMP will have an integrated network of 29 routes connecting major commercial centers in Davao City, yielding various socio-economic opportunities for Davaoeños. It was envisioned as early as 2010 with the help of the Asian Development Bank (ADB). Meanwhile, President Marcos expressed his heartfelt gratitude to all the officials of ADB for their unwavering support in the various government projects and initiatives of the Philippines. "As we further our partnership, I am optimistic that we will come up and forge even more projects in the years ahead, especially those that aim to improve the lives and lessen the burden to the public," he said. The President likewise assured those who might be affected by the project that the government is ready to provide them with financial and non-monetary assistance. "Lest we forget, coupled with this grand vision of building an efficient mode of transportation are the unavoidable issues that also need our immediate attention, such as the families who will be displaced by the implementation of the program," Marcos said. "But I assure everyone that this project will also include social development interventions, such as financial and non-monetary assistance for those who are displaced. It will also ensure that the families affected by the construction are properly compensated and, if need be, relocated," he added. With this, Marcos urged the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to strive to accomplish the DPTMP within the set timeline, ensure that it affects the least number of people and activities possible, and work with the concerned agencies to address various concerns such as funding requirements. The President told Davaoeños that his administration would not fail to deliver the services they all deserve. He asked them for their full support once the project was completed and for them to take care of the buses and other forms of transportation.